Rockets and combinations of rockets and cases



3,326,12&

F. V. CHOATE June 20, 196? ROCKETS AND COMBINATIONS OF ROCKETS AND CASES Filed sept. a. 1964 MGE United States Patent O 3,326,123 RGCKE'I'S AND COMBINATIONS 0F ROCKETS AND CASES Paul V. Choate, Milton, Mass., assigner to Norris Industries, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Sept. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 395,242 9 Claims. (Cl. 102--38) The present invention relates to rockets and to combinations of a rocket and a case, each case including launching and igniting means for its rocket.

Rockets capable of being tired Vfrom a portable shouldersupported launcher have proved to be effective even though they are essentially single shot weapons making trst round accuracy of great importance. While many considerations are involved in seeking improved accuracy, stability in flight is `a most important factor and is affected 'by the manner in `which the propellant burns `and by the manner in which the thrust of the resulting gas stream is applied.

A primary `objective of the present invention is, accordingly, to provide rockets of increased stability in flight and this objective is attained by providing a rocket having a motor and a forwardly extending head attached thereto, with the motor having an elongated, rearwardly extending chamber housing the propellant charge and a rearwardly opening nozzle surrounding the chamber approximately in the zone of the center of gravity of the rocket.

Another objective of the invention is to provide for the rear ignition of the propellant charge of such a rocket and this objective is accomplished by providing the propellant receiving chamber with a rear wall having a vent closed by a valve seated by the gas pressure as it builds up within the chamber after the propellant has been ignited.

While such a rocket may be fired from a rocket launcher with an ignition system of the general type illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 3,122,059, yet another general objective of the invention is to enable rockets, particularly, `but not necessarily, those of relatively small diameter, 20 mm. for example, to be adapted for -use in rapid tire systems. yIn accordance with the invention, this objective is attained by providing a rocket with a supporting case having igniting means in its closed end including a primer capable of being tired `by means of the `tiring pin yof a trigger-controlled ring mechanism, the igniting means being operable both to ignite the propellant charge and to launch the rocket from its case and the launcher so that it is air borne before the burning of the propellant charge has any appreciable effect thereon.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown an illustrative embodiment rof the invention from which these and other of its objectives, novel features, and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section of a round consisting of a rocket and a case in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary and partly sectioned View of the round and a launcher therefor, and

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the rocket as it would appear in flight.

A round establishing combination in accordance with the invention consists of a rocket and a case 5 shown as having a rimmed, closed end 6 and a seat 7 fora primer 8 of the conventional cap and anvil type and closing an axial vent 9. The vent 9 is in Acommunication with the interior of a radially ported cap 10 containing an explosive charge '11 and opening into the vinterior of the case 5.

3,326,128 Patented June 20, 1967 As will subsequently Ibe more fully detailed, the charge 11 has the dual function of launching the rocket and igniting its propellant charge. The rocket motor is generally indicated at 12 and the rocket war head at 13.

The rocket motor 12 has a tubular, rearwardly extending chamber 14 whose `forward end is shown as threaded into a cap 15 having the diameter of its `forward portion so reduced as to be ya press-fit -within the cylindrical socket in the rear end of the war head body 17. The cap 15 includes a rearwardly disposed cylindrical tiange 18 overlying but spaced from the gas vents 19 in the forward end of the chamber 14. At its rear end, the ilange 18 has 'an inwardly disposed, annular shoulder 20 establishing a rearwardly opening nozzle 21 encircling the chamber 14.

Threaded in the rear end of the propellant chamber 14 is `a plug 22 confining forward and rearward cylindrical propellant sticks 23 and 24 therein. The rearward stick 24 has an axial bore 25 extending from end-to-end thereof and a surface coat 26 to inhibit the burning of the outer surface thereby ensuring equalized combustion due to the passage of hot gases therethrough and the burning of the rearward stick 24 from its center outwardly and of the forward stick 23 inwardly from its outer surface.

The plug 22 has an axial bore 27 in communication with its forwardly opening, fluted chamber 28 slidably supporting a valve 29 and formed with a seat 30. The cross sectional area of the plug 22 is shown as greater than that of the axial bore 25 of the propellant stick 24.

An obturator 31 is secured, as by an adhesive, to the end of the chamber 14 and has a port 32 in registry with the bore 27 of the plug 22. The obturator 31, ywhen positioned in the case 5 provides a :combustion chamber 33 within which the cap 11 is located.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by the drawings, there are a plurality `of fins 34 adjacent the rear end of the chamber 14 and connected thereto as at 35, the ns 34 being flexibly resilient to be self-erecting approximately into their FIGURE 4 position from their curved, overlapping position they have when confined within the case 5, see FIGURE 2.

The case 5 is shown in FIG-URE 1 as housing the entire rocket except for the collapsible nose 36 of the war head 13 and, in FIGURE 3, the round established by the rocket and its case is shown as seated within an indicated launcher barrel 37 with a bolt 38 within a receiver 39 seated against its rimmed end 6. The bolt 38 has a tiring pin 40 shown as in its cocked position relative to the primer 8. When the tiring mechanism, not shown, is released, the tiring pin 40` strikes and detonates the primer 8 thereby igniting the explosive charge 11. The charge 11 is adequate to expel the rocket from the case 5 with suicient force to launch it in flight without objectionable thrust or kick against the shooter if the rocket is of relatively small size and the launcher is to be held against the shoulder. In this connection, the length of the barrel 37 is not important to the launcher other than to provide adequate sight radius and to protect the shooter from the possibility of premature ignition of the propellant charge of the rocket.

In addition to the function of launching the rocket, the explosive of the charge 11 is also operative to ignite the propellant sticks. This ignition is eected lby the opening -of the valve 391 by the gas pressure with the rapid build-up of gas pressure first closing the valve 30= to prevent the escape of gas through the rear end of the rocket and then developing a rearward annular jet of uniform thrust when the rocket is air borne, due to the construction of the rocket nozzle and the arrangement of the propellant sticks.

While other war heads may be used, the war head 13 is `shown as having the forward end of its body 17 reduced in diameter as at 41 to receive a cap 42 housing 3 an explosive charge 43 and including the nose 36 as part of its closed end. Within the cap 42, there is a disc 44 backed by a sleeve 45.

The body 17 has a rearwardly opening axial bore 46 opening into a somewhat larger, forwardly opening axial bore 47 through a hole 48- in its dividing wall 49; A plug 50 within the bore 47 between the wall 49 and the explosive charge 43 axially supports an ignition unit 51 shown as extending axially therethrough and as having a primary igniter 51A, a secondary igniter 51B, and a final i-gniter 51C. These are characterized by their being successively more difficult to ignite but burning at successively higher velocities. A plug S1 is threaded in the rear of the bore 46 and serves as a seat for a spring 53 compressed within a hollow plunger S4 whose forward end is in the form of a firing pin 55. A member 56 within a radial bore 57, is adapted to be cam-med outwardly by the front of the plunger 54 when driven forwardly by the spring 53 but is held against such radial movement by locks 58 and 59.

The lock 58 is slidable forwardly in a bore 6l)i against the action of the spring 61. thereby to become effective upon impact, such as the impact of the rocket against its target. The lock. 59 is slidable rearwardly in a bore 62 and includes an annularly grooved head 63` receiving a plug 64 frictionally held in a radial bore 65 and to be wedged out of holding position in response to set-back forces. A spring 66 resiiiently engages the annular groove and moves into a position blocking return of the head 63 when the lock 59 is set back.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that rockets and combinations of them with cases in accordance with the invention are Well adapted for effective use in a wide range of launching systems. It is essential that the annular rocket nozzle 21 be approximately in the zone of the center of gravity of the rocket and in the drawings the point 67 indicates the center -of gravity of the rocket before use and the point 68 indicates its center of gravity after burn out.

I claim:

1. In a rocket, a motor, a forwardly extending head attached to said motor, said motor including an elongated, `rearwardly extending chamber, a propellant charge within said chamber, said motor including a rearwardly opening nozzle surrounding said chamber and located approximately in the zone of the center of gravity of said rocket during the burning of said propellant charge, an ignition vent in the rear end of `said chamber, and a valve within said chamber in `control of said vent and closing said vent in response to the build-up of pressure within said chamber as said propellant charge burns.

2. In a rocket, a motor, a forwardly extendin-g head attached to said motor, said motor including an elongated, rearwardly extending chamber, a propellant charge within said chamber, said motor including a rearwardly opening nozzle surrounding said chamber and located approximately in the zone of the center of gravity of said rocket durin-g the burning of said propellant charge, said chamber including a rearwardly opening, chambered obturator and having an ignition vent in its rear end, and a valve within said chamber closing said vent and adapted to be opened by external pressures such as those attendant the ignition of an igniting charge and closed by the buildup of pressure within said chamber as said propellant charge burns.

3. In combination, a rocket, a motor, a forwardly extending head attached to said motor, said motor including an elongated rearwardly extending chamber, a forwardly opening case including an explosive charge, at least the chamber of the rocket being within said case, a propellant charge Within said chamber, said motor including a rearwardly opening nozzle surrounding said chamber and located approximately in the zone of the center of gravity of said rocket during the burning of said propellant charge, said chamber having an ignition vent in its rear end, a pressure operated valve within `said chamber in control of said vent to be opened by the external pressures attendant the firing of said explosive charge thereby to effect the ignition of the propellant charge and to be closed by pressures attendant the burning of said propellant charge.

4. In combination, a rocket, a motor, a forwardly extending head attached to said motor, said motor including an elongated rearwardly extending chamber, a forwardly opening case including an explosive charge, at least the chamber of the rocket being within said case, a propellant charge within said chamber, said motor including a rearwardly opening nozzle surrounding said chamber and located approximately in the zone of the center of `gravity of said rocket during the burning of said propellant charge, said chamber including an obturator at its rear end and having an ignition vent opening therethrough, a pressure operated valve within said chamber in control of said vent to be opened by the external pressures attendant the tiring of said explosive charge thereby to effect the ignition of the propellant charge and to be closed by pressures attendant the burning of said propellant charge.

5. In combination, a rocket, a motor, a forwardly extending head attached to said motor, said motor including an elongated rearwardly extending chamber, a forwardly opening case including an explosive charge, at least the chamber of the rocket being within said case, the explosive charge being adapted, when ignited, to drive the rocket from the case, a propellant charge within said chamber, said motor including a rearwardly opening nozzle surrounding said chamber and located approximately in the zone of the center of gravity of said rocket during the burning of said propellant charge, said chamber having an ignition vent in its rear end, a pressure operated valve within said chamber in control of said vent to be opened by the external pressures attendant the firing of said explosive charge thereby to effect the ignition of the propellant charge and to be closed by pressures attendant the burning of said propellant charge.

6. The combination of claim 5 in which the explosive charge of the case includes a primer exposed in its closed end and a cap within the case to be ignited thereby.

7. In combination, a rocket, a motor, a forwardly extending head attached to said motor including an elongated rearwardly extending chamber, a forwardly opening case including an explosive charge, at least the chamber of the rocket being within said case, a propellant charge within said chamber, said motor including a rearward-ly opening nozzle surrounding said chamber and located approximately in the zone of the center of gravity of said rocket during the burning of said propellant charge, said chamber including adjacent its rear end a plurality of fins held in an inoperative position within said case and self-erecting when launched therefrom having an ignition vent in its rear end, a pressure operated valve within said chamber in control of said vent to be opened by the external pressures attendant the firing of said explosive charge thereby to effect the ignition of the propellant charge and to be closed by pressures attendant the burning of said propellant charge.

8. In combination, a rocket, a motor, a forwardly extending head attached to said motor, said motor including an elongated rearwardly extending chamber, a forwardly opening case including an explosive charge, at least the chamber of the rocket being within said case, a propellant charge within said chamber, said motor including a rearwardly opening nozzle surrounding said chamber and located approximately in the zone of the center of -gravity of said `rocket during the burning of said propellant charge, said chamber including a plurality of fins at its rear end, said tins being of resiliently yieldable Stock thus to enable each -to be wrapped about said body and held by said casing in an overlapping relationship and to be selferecting when air-borne having an ignition vent in its rear end, a pressure operated valve within said chamber in control of said vent to be opened by the external pressures attendant the firing of said explosive charge thereby to effect the ignition of the propellant charge and to be closed by pressures attendant the burning of said propellant charge.

9. In combination, a launcher including a ring pin, a rocket, a motor, a forwardly extending head attached to said motor, said rnotor including an elongated rearwardly extending chamber, a forwardly opening case including a primer actuated explosive charge, at least the chamber of the rocket being within said case, said case being within said launcher with the primer actuating charge engageable by said firing pin, a propellant charge within said chamber, said motor including a rearwardly opening nozzle surrounding said chamber and located approximately in the zone of the center of gravity of said rocket during the burning of said propellant charge, said chamber having an ignition vent in its rear end, a pressure operated valve within said chamber in control of said vent to be opened by the external pressures attendant the ring of said explosive charge thereby to effect the ignition of the propellant charge and to be closed by pressures att5 tendant the burning of said propellant charge, said explosive charge being operable to expel said rocket from said case and from said launcher with the rocket become ing air borne before said propellant charge becomes operative.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,189,403 7/1916 Struble et al 102-73 1,303,197 5/1919 Hale 102-78 1,347,125 7/1920 Schneider 89-1.3 2,206,809 7/1940 Denoix 102-49 2,397,114 3/1946 Anzalone 102-49 X 2,421,752 6/1947 Jones 102-50 X 2,503,271 4/1950 Hickman 102-49 2,692,557 10/1954 Wales 102-7'8 2,946,261 7/1960 Crockett 89-1.7 2,951,444 9/1960 Hunt et al. 102-78 3,097,481 7/1963 Silver 102-49 X 3,107,487 10/1963 Schaafsma 102-49 SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner. BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Examiner. 

3. IN COMBINATION, A ROCKET, A MOTOR, A FORWARDLY EXTENDING HEAD ATTACHED TO SAID MOTOR, SAID MOTOR INCLUDING AN ELONGATED RAREWARDLY EXTENDING CHAMBER, A FORWARDLY OPENING CASE INCLUDING AN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE, AT LEAST THE CHAMBER OF THE ROCKET BEING WITHIN SAID CASE, A PROPELLANT CHARGE WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, SAID MOTOR INCLUDING A REARWARDLY OPENING NOZZLE SURROUNDING SAID CHAMBER AND LOCATED APPROXIMATELY IN THE ZONE OF THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF SAID ROCKET DURING THE BURNING OF 